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Trayvon Martin shooting: George Zimmerman says Trayvon decked him, then began hammering his head
Orlando Sentinel via Sun-Sentinel ^ | Monday, March 26, 2012 | Rene Stutzman

Posted on 03/26/2012 8:43:45 AM PDT by kristinn

...Police Say

With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered, authorities have revealed to the Orlando Sentinel.

That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say.

Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened, but that night, Feb. 26, and in later meetings he described and re-enacted for police what he says happened.

In his version of events, he had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.

Zimmerman told police he shot the teenager in self-defense.

SNIP

Police have been reluctant to provided details about all their evidence, but this is what they've disclosed to the Sentinel:

Zimmerman was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted Trayvon walking through his gated community.

Trayvon was visiting his father's fiancée, who lived there. He had been suspended from school in Miami after being found with an empty marijuana baggie. Miami schools have a zero-tolerance policy for drug possession.

Zimmerman called police and reported a suspicious person, describing Trayvon as black, acting strangely and perhaps on drugs.

Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot. When a dispatch employee asked Zimmerman if he was following the 17-year-old, Zimmerman said yes. The dispatcher told Zimmerman he did not need to do that.

There is about a one-minute gap during which police say they're not sure what happened.

(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: assault; georgezimmerman; trayvonassaultedz; trayvonassaults; trayvonmartin
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To: AlmaKing
"That negates any self defense argument in my book."

Not so. Zimmerman claims he lost sight of Martin and was returning to his SUV when he was attacked by Martin. If Martin did indeed punch Zimmerman in the nose, then pummeled him on the ground as witnesses claim, self-defense is indeed an argument, since it would appear that Martin escalated the incident.

121 posted on 03/26/2012 9:53:47 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: Retired Chemist

Jacksonville media is doing an OK job on this and actually calling out the Sharptons, black panthers and telling viewers that this was a month ago etc.

Seems the MSM in some parts anyway understand our laws while those up in NY, and other parts of the country which does not have this law cannot understand our laws how how people can actually defend themselves.

Sadly even some freepers think the MSM , Ellen, Oprah etc GMA, Today show etc tells them the truth


122 posted on 03/26/2012 9:53:58 AM PDT by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman,It's not a conservative view but a true American view)
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To: Retired Greyhound

I kinda disagree - I think the truth will come out even if it never gets reported by msm. The alternative media is all over this like white on rice.


123 posted on 03/26/2012 9:54:13 AM PDT by miss marmelstein
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To: lastchance

Martin considered anyone not part of his drug dealing gang a threat... Get real


124 posted on 03/26/2012 9:55:23 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: GeronL

stop feeding the troll, please


125 posted on 03/26/2012 9:55:41 AM PDT by representativerepublic (...loose lips, sink ships)
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To: andyk
He had been suspended from school in Miami after being found with an empty marijuana baggie.

And just after I read another story that claimed he was suspended for being tardy too often.

The "reason" seems to be changing a lot. Yesterday I read that it was because he was in an unauthorized location on school property.

This seems to suggest that it was because he took a swing at a bus driver.

126 posted on 03/26/2012 9:55:58 AM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Romney's judicial appointments were more radical than Obama's)
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To: Yaelle

hope you don’t serve on the jury because you seem to ignore the law, oh and since when has the right been for hate crimes laws?

Law here is it is not illegal to follow
It is illegal to attack someone.
It is legal to shoot someone when you feel your life was threatened .

Zimmerman never called him no racial slurs so why do you say that and if you do think that then provide a link to the call backing up your claim.

Like I said you miss all the laws , even if one is called say a faggot it does not mean you have the right to jump that person and beat them to a pulp.


127 posted on 03/26/2012 9:57:02 AM PDT by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman,It's not a conservative view but a true American view)
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To: dmzTahoe

Let’s see what we have so far

*eye witness testimony supporting Zimmerman’s version
*911 call made by the eyewitness with Zimmerman heard yelling for help in the back ground
*physical evidence noted by police in their report about Zimmerman’s condition
*subsequent medical check of Zimmerman reported as saying he sustained a broken nose and other head injuries

Those FACTS are strong. Moreover Martin was not shot at a distance but at close range. You have watched too much TV. Those facts alone are enough to no charge.


128 posted on 03/26/2012 10:00:02 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: Hot Tabasco; Jack Burton007

just said the same.

It is a shame that we have a couple of freepers taking in what they hear on their local news and then repeating it on here instead of looking into this for themselves .


129 posted on 03/26/2012 10:00:55 AM PDT by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman,It's not a conservative view but a true American view)
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To: rdcbn
By all witness accounts Martin attacked Zimmerman from behind while Zimmerman was walking back to his truck and then proceeded to beat Zimmerman severely while Zimmerman was on the ground helpless and screaming. Zimmerman sustained a broken nose and lacerations to his head in the attack.

You should read the article. The only witness to give an account on how the fight started contradicts that.

The Witness: George Zimmerman

Zimmerman told them he lost sight of Trayvon and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from the left rear, and they exchanged words.

Trayvon asked Zimmerman if he had a problem. Zimmerman said no and reached for his cell phone, he told police.

As posters here have declared it is not a crime to approach someone from behind. It is also not an attack to exchange words.

However of onw of the participants then attempts to draw something from his pocket, the other may under SYG regard that as a threat to his life and punch the drawer in the nose and even slam his head into the sidewalk until it is clear that the slammee is not drawing a weapon.

If Zimmerman was lying and actually attempting to draw his pistol, the situation is unchanged.

130 posted on 03/26/2012 10:01:44 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy (This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel - Horace Walpole)
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To: dirtboy

if you are an attorney, please turn in your bar card


131 posted on 03/26/2012 10:01:50 AM PDT by representativerepublic (...loose lips, sink ships)
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To: Yaelle

It is the family claiming that Zimmerman called the ethnic slurs. I have heard those played and I sure can’t hear that


132 posted on 03/26/2012 10:01:58 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: Hot Tabasco; Jack Burton007

just said the same.

It is a shame that we have a couple of freepers taking in what they hear on their local news and then repeating it on here instead of looking into this for themselves .

Even if it were true which I do not think it is and no one can say for a fact it is then calling someone a name does not mean you can have your head banged on the ground, have your nose broken and be attacked from behind.

I only hope that those freepers will never serve on a jury as the rule of law and the justice system is lost on them


133 posted on 03/26/2012 10:02:24 AM PDT by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman,It's not a conservative view but a true American view)
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To: dragonblustar

look at his eyes...go smoke another blunt...geez


134 posted on 03/26/2012 10:02:58 AM PDT by representativerepublic (...loose lips, sink ships)
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To: lastchance

You apparently do not live an area where there is a neighborhood watch ( or a need for one). Zimmerman did EXACTLY the right thing. You no doubt live somewhere that the crime level is close to zero. Neighborhood watches have been set up precisely to have people in the area paying attention to those in the neighborhood. Calls to the police for this purpose are not unusual.

Zimmerman has the right of self defense. I wonder if your nose had been broken and a young male was on top of you pounding your head into the cement multiple times....would you shot the attacker? or would you wait to see if you would die from your head wounds?


135 posted on 03/26/2012 10:06:44 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: representativerepublic
if you are an attorney, please turn in your bar card

If you aren't a troll, try factually refuting what I posted instead of just flinging nonsense.

136 posted on 03/26/2012 10:07:40 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: 2harddrive

maybe he could have a beer summit with Zimmerman for this teachable moment.


137 posted on 03/26/2012 10:08:23 AM PDT by willyd (your credibility deficit is screwing up my bs meter...)
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To: Vigilanteman

“What do you suppose will happen to those T-shirt sales if it turns out witness reports about Martin bashing Zimmerman’s head into the concrete are true?”

Host on local radio station asked that this morning. From the calls responding, that would not affect sales in the least.

Attitude was, Zimmerman deserved an a**-whuppin’, should not have invaded Trayvon’s space, Zimmerman should have expected to be sucker-punched if he was going to invade Trayvon’s territory. The callers had contempt for Zimmerman losing the fistfight, even saw something comical about the 240 lb Zimmerman getting beaten by a 17 year-old, but Zimmerman should have not escalated pulling a gun and should have accepted his beatdown. That’s what they said.


138 posted on 03/26/2012 10:08:35 AM PDT by ngat
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To: representativerepublic

Seriously, did you think I was agreeing with the italicized comment when I was criticizing it?


139 posted on 03/26/2012 10:09:37 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: Nifster
You are adding to the account. The eyewitness only saw Martin on top of Zimmerman. No one witnessed Zimmerman's version of Martin following him, confronting him, words exchanged... all that led to the beating.

Did Zimmerman reach for his cell or his gun??? Zimmerman says a phone, so it must be true, right... he wouldn't make up a story to protect himself, would he???? It's his word against a dead man's.

By distance, I mean how close... point blank gun against his chest (as would be the case in a close fight) or maybe a few feet (perhaps Martin got up after the initial beating when he heard someone yelling for 911, in which case perhaps he was getting ready to flee).

Wait for things to be investigated by experts.

140 posted on 03/26/2012 10:09:52 AM PDT by dmzTahoe
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